And Everything Nice (Snowed In & Snuggled Up #3) Page 6

Gaby knew how her mom liked to tell lies in order to get a rise out of her. Well, she wouldn’t bite this time.

  “Mom, that’s a lie and you know it. Hamilton told me he’s not dating anyone.”

  “Then maybe he should tell Sharon Smith, because she’s posted on his Facebook page that they’re in a serious relationship and have been for the past year.”

  Chapter Ten

  Hamilton had heard someone arrive at the cabin around ten or so the next morning. He waited for awhile, dozed on and off, then slipped out of bed, making sure Gaby was tucked in tight, giving her a gentle kiss before he snuck out of the room. She’d been restless all night long and he didn’t want to wake her.

  He needed to shower and get dressed before he greeted his family, so he carefully made his way to his own room without bumping into anyone. Once he had cleaned up, shaved, and dressed, he would be ready to take on his family. He had some amazing news to lay on them and he wanted everything to be perfect when he did. A hearty lunch might help balance out the announcement. He wanted to get right to it.

  He’d stocked the house with as many organic supplies as he could manage. He knew his brothers would bring the beer, while his mom would bring over an assortment of her canned goods, homemade pies and cookies, and probably another turkey. The Winchester family could never get enough turkey.

  He threw together a pan of organic turkey enchiladas, a pan of cheese enchiladas, and one of grass-fed-beef enchiladas. Then he whipped up two pans of organic corn bread, and a pot of black beans and a mess of Spanish rice. He was finished with the entire meal in about an hour, including a very spicy guacamole to go with the three bags of non-GMO blue corn chips he’d purchased the previous day. He had put the corn bread in the oven to bake first thing, before he’d started on the enchiladas. They were done so he pulled the pans out to cool, and shoved the enchiladas in the fridge. He’d pop them into the oven later. The way he had it figured, he’d have everything ready for a noon meal, then whoever was hungry could grab what they wanted. Plus, he’d bought a ton of baked good from Bella’s Bakery in town for tomorrow’s breakfast. No one had to worry about food when Hamilton was around. It was the one thing he enjoyed contributing to the family. He was sure everyone would have their own plans for the day, so being able to grab a quick meal was something even Hamilton appreciated.

  Once the food was all squared away, he slid into his black wool jacket and walked outside toward the shed to check on the snowmobiles he knew his mom kept there so she and her friends could take them out whenever the spirit moved them. Hamilton wanted to make sure they were in running order in case anyone wanted to take them out over the next couple of days.

  The snow was at least a foot deep, but someone had already cleared it off the porch, steps and walkways, and that someone was probably Scout who had always kept the sidewalks clean, the wood chopped, and the other outbuildings in repair.

  Hamilton unlocked the shed and entered turning on the overhead light. The shed not only held the snowmobiles but it held shovels, rakes and any other equipment needed to maintain the grounds. He turned on the heater which burned bright red overhead, making the inside of the shed much warmer than the outside temperature. This had been his grandpa’s retreat, the place he could escape to and work on his various projects without interruption. Hamilton still kept those memories of working side-by-side with his grandfather fresh in his mind.

  It was at that moment of reminiscing when his brother JT walked in looking as if he was ready to go a couple rounds with anyone who got in his way. Unfortunately for Hamilton, he was the closest contender.

  JT let him have it with both guns. He’d heard about their dad brokering the deal, and not only was he adamantly against doing any sort of deal with their dad, but there was no way in hell he would sell the cabin to anyone, even threatening to buy it himself.

  But that wasn’t the worst of what JT had to say.

  He told Hamilton about some of their dad’s past shameful deeds, like a smear campaign on JT’s first book because JT wouldn’t give him any of his profits from the book, how he tried to horn in on their mom’s success and milk her dry, and how he tried to get Scout’s endorsement money.

  This was all news to Hamilton. “Why didn’t you guys tell me any of this?” He raked a hand over his head, then scratched his chin, both nervous habits.

  “I guess we wanted to spare our little brother from the truth. Plus, let’s not forget what happened at Grandpa’s funeral.”

  “If you mean his only showing up for a few minutes when Grandpa died, he apologized for that several times.”

  “It wasn’t the amount of time. I didn’t want him to show up at all. It’s what he said to our mom that tore me apart.”

  “I don’t remember him talking to Mom.”

  “That’s because you had walked outside chasing Gaby, as I recall. He would never have said anything to Mom if you were around. He likes to only show you his good side, but believe me little brother, it’s only show.”

  Hamilton stood and walked over to JT. It was happening all over again, the battle over their father. Anger swirled in Hamilton’s stomach as he flashed on what Waylon had said about his dad. Was everyone in this damn town trumping up hearsay about him, even his own brothers?

  “All my life, you and Scout have been badmouthing Dad. What the hell, JT? Yeah, so he tried to get money out of you, and horn in on Mom’s business, and Scout’s lucrative hockey deals, but there’s got to be something more you’re not telling me. Waylon told me a crazy story about Dad trying to torch this place, and grandpa getting burned in the process. I haven’t had time to check on it, but I’m thinking it’s a crock of shit. You want to tell me the truth about that story . . . if you even know anything about it?”

  JT stared at him for a beat, as if he was making a decision. Hamilton knew his brother well enough to know that JT never, under any circumstances, told a lie. Hamilton waited to see if this was going to be his first time.

  “You loved Dad so much when you were a kid. You looked up to him, and I didn’t want to be the bad guy who burst your bubble.”

  “Yeah, well, I’m all grown up now. I think I can handle it.”

  “Can you? Can you handle the fact that our dad tried to burn down this cabin because he thought his life would get easier if our grandfather didn’t have to pay the bills on it any longer? Our dad didn’t like working, so he figured if he burnt the place down, they’d collect the insurance and his life would go back to being easy again. Only thing was, Grandpa could have died trying to save this place. His back was covered in scars from the fire that our dad started.”

  Hamilton didn’t want to believe any of it. “I never saw any scars. This is all bullshit and you know it.”

  “You never saw Grandpa without his shirt, did you? He wanted to spare us. Grandma had a few scars as well. Her right arm was burned above her elbow. But you probably never saw that either. Grandma always kept her arms covered up.”

  Hamilton flashed on the times when he had snuck into Gram’s room while she was reading or dancing and the time he saw the scar. It was so disfiguring it had scared him and he never snuck into her room again.

  Proof positive there had been a fire, but he still wasn’t sure it was his dad who had started it. It couldn’t have been. That would be too horrible to ever forgive.

  No. He wouldn’t accept it. Not without absolute proof.

  “That’s too awful to imagine. It can’t be true.” Hamilton was pacing. Shaking. Trying to wrap his head around all of this.

  “That’s your decision. All I can do is tell you the truth. I cant make you believe it.”

  Deep down in his soul, as hard as it was for Hamilton to accept, he knew JT would never lie about something like this . . . but God, he didn’t want it to be true. He needed to be sure.

  “And you know this, without a doubt.”

  “Without a doubt.”

  “How? Did Grandpa tell you?”

  “There’d been rumors w
hen I was a kid, but Grandpa would never confirm them.”

  “Then how? How do you know for certain?”

  “Because of what I overheard Dad say to Mom at Grandpa’s funeral. Why I haven’t spoken to him since then and why I was so upset that day.”

  “You going to tell me or do I need to ask Mom?”

  “Don’t bring this up to Mom. Not now. Not when we’re all together and she’s so happy.”

  “Fine! What the hell did he say?”

  JT took a deep breath, let it out, then he said, “Good thing the old man put out that little fire I started at Win Creek. Now I can cash in on what’s rightfully mine.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Gaby heard the sound of a snowmobile buzz by her bedroom window, and when she peeked out to see who was on it, she spotted Hamilton tearing up the snow.

  She’d been hiding in her room all morning, packing mostly, and making arrangements with the airline to change her flight back home for later that day. She’d wanted to slip out of the house without anyone seeing her, especially Hamilton, and now was her chance.

  She grabbed her keys, slipped on her hat and coat, grabbed her suitcase and rolled it out of the door only to bump right into Madison Lane as she called out for JT. Madison Lane was the one person Gaby did not want to see.

  As soon as Maddie spotted Gaby, her face lit up and she walked towards her for a hug. “Gaby! I had no idea you were here . . . and you’re pregnant? Why didn’t I know this wonderful news?”

  “It’s a long story.”

  Gaby let go of her suitcase and gave Maddie a tight hug. Despite her initial feelings, she really was happy to see her. She and Maddie had been childhood friends, and no one knew her better than Maddie. It was like hugging the sister she never had. Still, the heartfelt love that came from Maddie only intensified the need for Gaby to escape. When they separated Gaby wanted to cry, but she held her emotions in check. Now was not the time to break down. She needed to be strong. “I didn’t think you’d be here so early.”

  Maddie hesitated, her deep brown eyes showed concern and confusion. Gaby had always been somewhat envious of Maddie’s long silky brown hair glistening with auburn sunshine. Plus, she looked as beautiful and self-assured as ever, compared to how Gaby felt . . . confused, fat and chronically uncomfortable.

  “She gazed down at Gaby’s suitcase. “Are you coming or going?”

  “Going.”

  “The snow is way too deep to be going anywhere but the living room to relax by the fire.”

  “My flight leaves in about three hours from Durango. It will probably take me more than an hour to get to the airport, and I have to return my rental. As much as I’d like to stay, I really can’t. I’ve got to get home.”

  “I just drove up Avalanche Road, Gaby, and it’s bad out there. I didn’t think I was going to make it. I’d be surprised if there were any flights taking off with all this snow. I bet if you check with your airline, your flight has been cancelled.”

  Acid shot up Gaby’s throat and her stomach tightened. She hadn’t eaten anything but a cupcake and juice that morning and apparently they weren’t settling as well as she had hoped.

  “You don’t understand. I can’t stay. It’s my mother. She’s . . . ”

  “Is there something wrong with your mom?”

  Gaby quickly decided to go with that . . . stretch. “Yes, um, she’s sick.”

  “How sick? Unless she’s in the hospital kind of sick, you shouldn’t leave. Maybe there’s a friend who can look in on her? It’s really too dangerous, Gaby, I’m sure the road is almost impassable by now. And there are avalanche warnings.”

  “What’s going on, Gaby? Talk to me.”

  Gaby hesitated for a moment, thinking that getting Maddie’s perspective on her situation might be exactly what she needed, but then she thought about Hamilton’s lies. She’d looked up his Facebook page after she’d gotten off the phone with her mom, and sure enough, there it was, he was in a relationship with Sharon Smith. And when she’d taken a peek at Sharon’s page, there were several pictures of Hamilton and Sharon in various dating poses. She didn’t linger on the page, because she didn’t want or need to see anymore. It was hurtful enough just knowing about Sharon.

  He’d lied, just like her dad had lied to her mom.

  All men were cheaters. She was convinced of it now. Even Grandpa Win probably cheated on Grandma Win.

  A couple books fell off of the shelves in the living room.

  She shivered. Clearly, Grandpa Win hadn’t liked what she thought about him, so he’d responded by tossing books onto the floor. She had felt his presence ever since she’d arrived. The strong scent of his pipe tobacco had wafted in the air when she’d first opened the cabin door, but she’d dismissed it convincing herself that her mind was playing tricks on her. Grandpa Win had always enjoyed his pipe late at night before he went to bed, but after five years, there was no way the cabin could still smell of his tobacco.

  She grabbed her suitcase and began to leave when the strong scent of Grandpa Win’s tobacco filled the air. She tried to ignore it, but Maddie must have caught the aroma as well.

  “If I didn’t know better, I’d say Grandpa Win just lit up his pipe,” Gaby said, wondering how the heck the scent could be so strong. “I have to go before he tries to stop me.”

  “Who’s trying to stop you? Hamilton? You mean he doesn’t know you’re leaving?”

  “He can’t or he would never let me go,” Gaby said, as she walked past Madison. “But Hamilton’s just like my dad, a cheater, and I don’t want anything to do with a cheater.”

  Maddie stepped in front of Gaby, blocking her path to the door. Whenever Gaby moved one way, Maddie walked in front of her until Gaby gave up in frustration.

  “Please, don’t try to stop me, Maddie. I swear, I’ll just knock you over.”

  “But---”

  “And please don’t say anything to anyone.”

  “You can’t---”

  “My rental car came equipped with heavy-duty snow tires. I’ll be fine.”

  In all the years the two women had been friends, Gaby had never spoken to her in such a harsh manner. It even surprised Gaby that she could be so mean-spirited when obviously all Maddie was trying to do was keep her off the snowy roads. But Gaby had driven on these roads ever since she’d turned sixteen and snuck out with Ciara and Maddie on countless occasions to spy on the Winchester brothers or just run around town on their own. Those memories still lingered with Gaby, and part of her longed to hang out with her two friends again.

  Unfortunately, those days were long gone.

  “Please get out of my way,” Gaby demanded. “You don’t know anything about my situation. This is my decision, and I’ve made it. Now, please step aside.”

  She just wanted to be in the car now, away from everyone, headed back to LA. Coming out here had been a complete mistake, and she longed for the confrontations to be over now.

  Maddie moved out of the way. “I’m sorry, Gaby. I just . . . we all love you, including Hamilton who probably deserves every bit of this anger. And I’ll stonewall him if you don’t want to see him, but are you sure leaving is the answer? Look outside. It’s really snowing hard. I’m worried for you and your baby out on the road.”

  Gaby headed for the side door and reached out for the doorknob and hesitated. “I’ll be fine. Really.”

  Then she pulled on the door, but it wouldn’t open. She checked the locks. They weren’t engaged. Annoyance coursed through her and she pulled even harder.

  Nothing.

  “Dammit, Grandpa Win, you can’t stop me this way. Let me go!” Her emotions were raw, and she didn’t need anyone from the afterlife trying to play tricks on her.

  She removed her hand from the doorknob, waited a moment, and the door slowly creaked open.

  “Please be careful,” Maddie warned.

  Gaby walked outside and in less than a minute she had turned over the engine and was headed up Avalanche Road and aw
ay from everyone she loved.

  Chapter Twelve

  Hamilton slowed the snowmobile to a stop near the shed and turned off the engine as snow still fell in great big flakes, adding to what had already accumulated on the ground. He pushed the snowmobile under an overhang, near the entrance to shield it from accumulating any more snow. The ride through the hills had cleared his head. He now realized the deal with his dad had to be stopped no matter how lucrative it was. His dad didn’t deserve that money, didn’t deserve any money from the cabin, or, for that matter, his dad barely deserved the affection Hamilton still had for him.

  He’d finally been able to see clearly all the times his dad had tried to squeeze in on Scout’s various contracts, and he now understood why he and JT had a zero relationship. But besides all of that, his dad had actually tried to burn down his own home. What the hell?

  The man just wouldn’t give up. And to think, Hamilton had sent his dad countless checks whenever he claimed he’d gotten into a bind.

  All lies to suck more money from his family.

  How could I have been so naïve?

  Hamilton was done, done with believing that underneath his dad was simply misunderstood. It just wasn’t true and it pained him to finally be able to see it.

  And what was even more disturbing to Hamilton was the fact that he’d started down that same heartless road, that do-anything-for-a-buck road. Part of the reason why he’d been so eager to sell the cabin was for the money he’d make off of it, as if nothing else mattered . . . all the memories . . . all the love . . . all the future memories he would make with his family that now included Gaby and their sweet baby girl.

  He’d made a decision while he slid over ice and snow, reveling over the beauty that was Colorado.

  Scout had been right.

  He needed to ask Gaby to marry him. Today. As soon as he saw her while she still burned with the afterglow of the previous evening.